Judging whether someone was mature was simple: just look at how they understood the world.
If they thought the people in this world were divided into good people and bad people, then they were immature; if they believed people were divided into those who followed the rules and those who did not, then they were somewhat more mature; if they recognized that people were divided into those who could control themselves and those who could not, then they were mature.
Mature people controlled their emotions. They dealt with their feelings first, then dealt with matters afterward, preventing emotions from affecting their decisions and actions.
Just like now.
Zheng Qing felt that he had matured.
Because he had not turned the Black Gemstone Cat to stone out of suppressed irritation, nor had he used the Escape Incantation in a moment of panic. Instead, he stood very calmly between the fox and the witch.
In the bustling yet quiet Quankelai Market, Doggy walked in front, while the young wizard, the witch, and the great blue fox walked side by side behind him. The witch was on the left, the fox on the right, and Zheng Qing in the middle. A Black Gemstone Cat lay on his left shoulder, a White Jade Cat hung from his right shoulder, and he held a Little Fox in his arms.
The Little Fox had already reverted from her squirrel form to her usual size. She chirped noisily with the two cats all the way, making quite a lively scene.
But the liveliness belonged to them. Zheng Qing only found it noisy.
Because he had to keep filtering out the noise from his arms and shoulders while carefully catching the "warm and friendly" exchange between the witch and the Great Fox, making sure he did not miss